BJP, RSS spreading communal tension through conversions: BSP

BSP on Thursday accused BJP and RSS of spreading communal tension in the country through forced conversions and sought a ban on such outfits saying it was the responsibility of both the Centre and the state government to take stern action against them.

New Delhi: BSP on Thursday accused BJP and RSS of spreading communal tension in the country through forced conversions and sought a ban on such outfits saying it was the responsibility of both the Centre and the state government to take stern action against them.

Terming religious conversions as very serious issue, the BSP Supremo Mayawati asked all the opposition parties to become serious on the issue.

"The issue of religious conversions is very serious. BJP and its other organisations like RSS, Bajrang Dal and others, although want to create communal tension in the entire country ...In this particular issue, they (BJP) have made UP their main adda. All opposition parties should become serious on this issue," Mayawati said here.

Referring to the alleged forced conversion in Agra in Uutar Pradesh, she said the responsibility in this issue also lies with the Samajwadi Party government in the state as they are in power.

"The responsibility also lies with the Samajwadi Party government in UP as they are in power. BJP and its associate organisations, under the garb of religious conversion wants to create communal tension in UP, it is the respponsibility of the SP government and it should initiate stern action against those elements who are involved in this," she demanded.

Noting that she had taken up the issue in Parliament yesterday as well, Mayawati said, it is not only the SP government's responsiblity, the Centre also has equal responsibility.

"The Centre is led by BJP and its associate organisation which is trying to worsen the atmoshphere in the country through issues like conversions. The law and order situation in the country might deteriorate through this. In this situation, the Centre, if they do not have a hand in this, it is their responsibility to ban the associate organisations," she said.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said his party has always opposed such conversions, done either by enticing or forcefully.

"We have never been in favour of such conversions. BJP has always opposed any business of religious conversions done either by enticing or forcefully," he said.

Taking a dig at the opposition, he said when his party raised the issue in the past, the "secular" voices raised their voice against ours saying whatever BJP was saying was wrong.

The particular incident is of UP where neither BJP nor NDA is in power.

"Mayawati was in power before and Congress party had supported it. Now Mulayam Singh is running the government which is again supported by Congress. This is a matter related to law and order and they should see that if these things are happening, it should not take place," he said.